Self-supporting dam-building tower and process



Sept. 6, 1932. c. A. BUDNIK 1,876,040

SELF SUPPORTING DAM BUILDING TOWER AND PROCESS Filed Sept. 4, 1929 2 sheets-sheet ,1

gmwntoz P 1932- c. A. BUDNIK 1,876,040

- SELF SUPPORTING DAM BUILDING TOWER AND PROCESS Filed Sept. 4, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 6, 1932 U rE-D star-Es QASSgAQB DNEIKf FQ RO KR L: ween-memoir V .a u atro'n filed sejtembgr 4,1929. Serial No. 390,232.

My invention relates to dam building :and like large concrete construction 'work.

{It is current practice in vsuch--w-ork,'especially Where the dams-are of considerable height and-width, to build anumber-of towers within the dam site of steel. These towers are of skeleton construction and-at times will run three hundred to five hundred feet-in height, it being necessary that they extend well above "the ultimate top of the dam. "Naturailyflhey must be strongly 'guyed at intervals, and; heavy steel cables ,areemployed for'the purpose. Upon'thesetowers areisupport'ed cable-ways 'or conveyors, by means oi whichthe concrete is delivered from a mixing plant on the bank across the race of'the dam andultimately deposited in-the forms. It is becoming recognized that-the dam is made;stronger in proportion .as' -'t he concrete is the least disturbed in its handling betweenthe mixing plant :and. the place; of deposit, and to obtain this-result, it is becoming the practice :to employ belt conveyors, whichiin practice, are not usually madein units of greater length-than one hundred feet, hence, it wouldbe necessaryto provide towers at not to exceed one hundred foot intervals, and'it may readily be appreciated that thesexpense of such towersnand'. their guywires, in particular, will constitute a major item of the cost'oi adamz', Such a .cost mayrun. t-o"15 or 20% 0f the total costof the dam, and the towers are ordinarily left imb'edd'ed-in the concrete, orgif they are so positioned that they maybe dismounted jand taken down, it will be foundi'that they are unsuitable for any construction work liable to .occurin the immediate future and .must eitherbe, stored or disposed of a sjunk; "Simi- 40 larly,fthe cables v-having been in use over a periodviot some little time and beingcut to fit and serve as the guy wires, eannotfreadily be. put v.to another use andtheir value is largely 10st.

' .My invention has-,as its JDQJ OIobjeCt the provision of ainethod and apparatus whereby the towers or supports for the. conveyors and for the concrete handling. and zdistributing mechanism, may be supported notjfrom the bed of the dam, but *from'element-s incorporated in the dam itself, such as founda t ion blocks ot-conerete, which can-be iormed inplace with i little difficulty or expense and left. inplace, ultimately forming part of the homogenous mass of concrete. ifurtherobject is" the provision of means wherebythe towers themselves, which may be of steel, are in efi'ect, elevated-from such foun elation blocks, .being kept always above the working-level of'the dam,- whereby as the work progresses they are always on top of the dan zand when it is finished they may be removed and lowered and used again, being made upflin standard si zes and not necessarily to fitthe height of thepa-r-ti'cu'lar darn under construction. a

It is myo'bj ect to provide a mechanism of the general c-haracter indicated, which-ma y be securely ,supported -in the dam itself or upon foundation jblocks, and which will not require guy wires. 7

-It is la' furt her-object to-provide such mechanism {with which may be associated concrete handling and distributing; mechanism so arranged -that there {need be no dangerof upsettingthe tower or disturbing its equilib-- r um. Y a

=Qtheri;objects,-and especially such as refer to, details of my method and apparatus, may be ascertained' nore readily from astudyof the drawings,- the specification and claims of this application, and such details formmore especially-the, subject matter of a companion application,- Serial No. l01,17Z "filed October 21,1929.

: My invention comprises thenove'l method r For-rim: i I

and the novel apparatus or structure, as

shown infthe accompanying drawings, described in the specification, and more particularlydefinfed by the claims which terminate the same.

nInfthe accompanying drawings I have shown'ina more or less diagrammatic way apparatus by means of which my, process may be carried out. i TFigure 1 is a generalelevation of my ape paratu'sin operation. Figure-Bis a. diagrammatic; showing of three adjoining towers 'forming'parts of my apparatus, the three towers being illustrated V disposed within an outer tower '2, each being of skeleton construction, so that-each slides vertically upon and relative to the other.

These towers .are supported primaril-yfrom T a foundation block 3, the first of these foun dation blocks will rest upon bed rock of the dam site, while succeeding blocks will rest one upon the other. place Within the inner tower 1, and it will be understood that both towers have their bot-- toms freely open so that they may move -Ver tically relative to the foundation block represented at 3. However, they are supported upon this foundation block, for instance, by means of bars 30, which extend throughholes provided near the upper edgeof the foundation block 3, and which project therefrom under the lower edges of the towers. Additional pins 31 may be provided, these being somewhat shorter than the pins 30, and extending only beneath the bottom of the inner tower 1, rather than under both towers. The pins, 31, therefore, may support the inner tower in elevated position and the outer tower 2 may move vertically outside of the ends of these pins 31 until it is in position to be supported by thepins 30.

For a reason which will be madeclear hereafter, I prefer that one of these towers (as shown, the outer tower 2) be secured positively to the foundation block 3, and for this purpose I have shown jacks 33, disposed horizontally below the bottom of the tower 1 and .threading in plates 32, secured tothe tower 2, and arranged to clamp against the upper side faces of the foundation blocks. These jacks may be of any suitable type, thoseshown being merely illustrative of a means which will positively secure the outer tower. 2 to the foundation block to prevent side -sway..

Various means may be provided for elevating the towers 1 and 2. I have shown a winch, generally indicated by the numeral 4, supported upon a platform 10 of the inner tower, which winch carries a line42. This line passes under a pulley or guide 41, provided on the inner towerl, and the end of the line 42 is anchored at 44 to the top of the outer tower 2. The line 42 may, of course,- be

' provided with various means for increasing These may be cast in" 2, and indirectly, of course, from the founda tion block 3, upon which the tower 2 rests.

A second winch 5, is also shown supported upon the platform 10, and from this winch 5 run lines 52 direct-to pulleys 51 in the top of the inner tower 1 and thence to an anchorage at v5.3 uponvthe outer tower 2. By means of this linethe outer tower 2 can be elevated from the inner tower 1, which at such times,

is supported from the foundation block 3.

It will be understood that various means for handling and distributing the concrete would be "supported from the composite tower thus formed. For instance, a conveyor 6 deliversconcfe'te to the tower, whence it may be passed on to another conveyor by means of a chute arranged between the ends of the two conveyors, as will be apparent,- or the concrete from'the conveyor 60 may be deliveredinto a hopper 61, supported in the inner tower l, and thence vdelivered by chutes, such as 62 or 63, to points where it is to be placed, There may be provided upon the outer tower 2 a circular hopper orchute 64, into which concrete from the chute 62 is delivered and from which it is d-elivered'to 0on veyors as and 71, supported upon a boom 7 which is carried upon the outer tower 2. This towermay revolve about the boom upon bearing'rings 27 at top and bottom, and the 1 opposite the main .boom 7 upon which; a counterweight 3 may be slidable, this counterweight being connected by mechanism, which need not be heredescribed, and such as is shown in the companion application referred to. Its function is to counterbalance the weight of theshiftable conveyor 71 and the concrete carried thereby.' By these or equivalent means, the booms 7 and 72 may be kept substantially in equilibrium to minimize the side sway of the tower 2, and such side sway as occurs is taken up by the clamping jacks 33 heretofore described.

I Itlis believed that my process will by now bereadily understandable. A concrete fou'nf dation block 3 is first cast in place upon the bedrock indicated by the'line L of Figure 2. The inner tower 1 and outer tower 2 may likewise rest upon the bedrock. This relationship is shown at, the right in Figure 2. The next step, preferably,is in preparation for a subsquarelyupon the first blockv 3 a second foundation block indicated by the numeral 3A. The'purpose in casting this prior to any other step is to give it sufficient time to set and cure, so that it may support the weight of the tower when the tower is ready for a further upward shift. The concrete for casting the block 3A may be supplied through the chute 63Iheretofore mentioned. Y

[With the block 3Afcast, the'nextstep is toel'evate the complete tower above the working level L, and this is done by elevatingrone of the towers, bearing uponothe other; for instance,; the inner tower 1,; which: is pref: erably slightly greater in elevation than the outer tower 2, is,lif-ted first This inner tower is elevatedby thewinch t or equivalent means, and is supported in elevated position upon the bars 31'. Parts are illustrated in this position in the middle tower of Figure 2 and it will be observed that the" chute 62 is retracted or telescop'ed at this time to prevent its being fouled with parts of the outer tower 2. V

Now the next step is .to raise the outer tower.

1 2 from. the inner tower, which has already been raised.- The winch 5 is brought into operation and the outer tower 2 is raised until its bottom. is substantially on a level with the bottomof the inner tower 1, whereupon the pins 30 are inserted, and the tower has'been raised substantially the height of the foundation block 3. It will be understood, of course, that suitable provision is made in the casting of these blocks for the reception through i them of'the bars 30 and 31. Now with the towers 1 and 2 resting upon the respective bars 31 and 80, the device is ready for depositing concrete uponth'e working level L up to substantially the level of the bars 30 and 31, but I prefer that the first stepbe the casting in place upon the block'3A of a third foundation block 3B, so that this may have time to set and cure before itis needed. to support the weight of the towers. The

i block 3A by this time will have set sufliciently to support the weight of the block 313.

Now the concrete is deposited or distributed by the means heretofore indicated, and when the fresh concrete deposited around the foundation block 3 has reached substantially to the level of the lower ends of the towers 1 and 2, these towers are again lifted as described before, and use the block 3A as the new support, leaving only the block 3 embedded in the concrete.

Various means may be employed for raising the towers 1 and 2, and as a matter of fact it is not at all essential that these telescope one within the other, but only that they be relatively movable vertically and that each be capable of raising the other, and either independently or mutually self-supporting. So far as this present application is concerned, the concrete handling and distributing means is immaterial, and may be any which is found suitable or desirable. The essence of the present invention consists in the elevation of one tower from the other in succession and the supporting of the towers upon foundation blocks, which are inexpensive and which it is intended shall be embedded ultimately in the concrete of the dam, always keeping the towers above the working level. i

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The process of placing concrete in dams .orthe like through the employment. oftWo; tower sections of such base area. andpheighti as to be self-supporting, said sections being telesooped and vertically movable relative; to each other, which consists in, casting a; foundation block upon thev substructure, raising one of said tower sections and sup-ports ing it in elevated, position fronr'said; block, raising the other section and supporting it likewise in elevated position upon the sam'ez block, and supplying concrete to the, e16.-

vate-d tower for local distribution, repeating the casting, raising and distributing opera tions until the dam has reached the required height.

. 2'. 'The'processofj placing concrete in dams; or the like through the employment of two telescoping tower sections, each of; such: base. area and height as to be self-supporting, which? process consists in casting a foundation block Within the base of the inner section, raising one of said sections and snip por-ting it in elevated position upon. said block,raising the other section and support-- ingit from said block, in elevated position, and supplying concrete to the elevated tower for-local distribution,

3; The process of placing concrete in dams: or the like through the employment of; two,

telescoping towersec'tions,which process con sists in first casting a foundation block upon the substructure within the base of the innertower section, then raising the inner section from the outer, as the latter rests upon the substructure, supporting the inner section in elevated position upon said block, then rais ing the outer section from said' inner section andsup-porting the outer section .in elevated position from the block, and finally supplying concrete to the elevated tower for local distribution and for the casting of. a new foun' dation block. T

lpThe process of placing concrete in. dams or the like through the employment of teleA scoping innerand outer tower sections, which process consists in first casting a foundation, block upon the substructure within thebase of the inner section, then raising the inner section from the outer, resting upon, thesubstructure and supporting it in elevated posis tion upon said block, then raising the'outer section from said innersection and supporting it in elevated position fromthe block, then anchoring the outer section upon the block to minimize side sway, and finally supplying concrete to the elevated sections for local distribution and for the casting of .a new foundation block. g

5. The process of placing concrete in and the like through the employment of a tower, which consists incasting a founda tion block of concrete within the area and above the working level of the dam, and thereafter raising the tower thereupon above the working level, supplying concrete to the dams to support said tower upon the same block in elevated position, and means upon said tower for distributing concrete within a circle about said tower. v

7. A structure of the character described, comprlsing two associated towers, means for :elevating either tower from the other, inde- -'pendent means for supporting each of said towers from a common foundation block in position elevated above the work level, and

concrete handling devices supported on said towers. I

8. In a structure of the character described, an inner tower and an outer towertelescoping therewith, means for supporting said' towers from a foundation block for vertical movement of one relative to the other, and means for successively elevating said towers and for supporting them in elevated position fromsaid foundation block.

1 9. In astructure of the character described,

an inner tower and an outer. tower each guided'on the other for relative vertical moveiment, means for supporting each of said towersupon. a foundation block, means for.

elevating"each tower in succession fromthe other tower, and means for supportlng the towers from said foundation block in elevated position.

10. In a structure of the character described, an inner towerand an outer tower each guided on the other for relative vertical movement, independent means for supporting each of said towers from a'foundationblock, means upon'the inner tower and hearing upon the outer tower for elevating the inner tower, means also carried by the inner tower for elevating the outer tower, and means for supporting each tower at the new level, from the foundation block.

lf- A dam building. tower including, in

combination, aninnenand an outer tower section, guidemeans permitting telescoping of each section relative to the other, means on the inner section for raising the outer sec tionrelative to theinner, as the outer section rests upon a foundation, and meansfor raising the inner section relative to the outer, when the inner section in turn rests upon a foundation v i I 15. A dambuilding tower comprising, in

tel

combination, a pair of 'complemental' tower sections, means for raising each section from and relative to the other, as each" section in turn rests upon a foundation, and means for handling materials associated with the composite tower.

v 16. A dam building tower comprising, a combination, a pair of complemental tower sections of less height than the dam to be built, means for raising each section from I and relative to the other, as each section'in turn rests upon a foundation, means for receiving and means for distributing concrete associated with the tower.

Signed at Rockport, Washington this'27th' day of August, 1929. Z CASS A. BUDNIK.

' ios v 11. A structure as defined in claim- 10, in-

eluding additional meansfor securing at least one of said towers to the foundation block, to prevent side sway. 12. Astruct'ure as defined in claim 10, including additional means for securing the outer tower to the foundation block, and concrete handling devices supported from said outer tower.

13. A dam building tower, including, in.

combination, a pair of complemental tower sections, each of a base area and height to be self-supporting, and means for raising each section from and relative to the other, as the latter rests upon its base. 

